Pressure cooker clamp



Dec. 26, 1933.

G. E. w. ECK El AL 1,941,294

PRESSURE COOKER CLAMP Filed March 7, 1932 17 f s 19 3 fl 655W. eff:- HIV/221710579752:

Patented Dec. 26, 1933 I PRESSURE 000mm CLAMP Guy E. w. Eek and Alvin F. Loefller, Manitowoc,

Wis., assignors to Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry Company, Manitowoc, Wis.

Application March '1, 1932. Serial No. 59,7,329 2 Claims. (01. 220-55) This invention appertains to pressure cookers and more particularly to a novel means for holding the cover in locked position on the body of the cooker.

'Heretofore, in pressure cookers, considerable difllculty has been experienced in properly holding the covers in place on the body. Various means have been contemplated and used for holding the covers in place. Generally, the clamps are carried by the body of the cooker, which renders the body hard to clean and the clamps cannot be readily moved into active position in engagement with the cover. In some instances, it has been proposed to utilize removable clamps and this likewisehas proven unsatisfactory due to the likelihood of the clamps being lost. It is, therefore, one of the primary I objects of our invention to provide novel means for associating the clamps directly with the cover, whereby the'clamps will be held against loss and at the same time independent of the body of the cooker, whereby the body can be readily cleansed.

Another salient object of our invention is the provision of a pressure cooker in which the cover is provided with an annular outstanding flange to which is pivoted at equally distantly spaced points, novel clamping members, the clamping members being mounted on vertical pivots, whereby the same can be conveniently swung to one side and out of engagement with the flange formed on the body of the cooker.

A further object of our invention is the provision of novel means for clamping the cover of a pressure cooker in place on its body, which includes a plurality of clamping members mounted on vertical pivots carried by the cover, the cover and body being provided with companion clamping flanges, the flange of the cover being provided with sockets for receiving the clamping screws of the clamps and the flange of the body being provided with an annular groove on its lower face for receiving lugs formed on the body portions of the clamps, whereby when the clamps are swung to their operative clamping position and adjusted, displacement thereof is prevented.

A further object of our invention is the provision of novel means for mounting the clamps on the vertical pivots, so that after the clamps have been swung to their inoperative non-clamping position, the same will be held against accidental swinging movement during the removal of the cover from the body, or the placing of the cover on the body.

A further important object of our invention is the provision of novel means for associating clamps with the cover, whereby the cover can be placed on the body in any position, thereby eliminating the necessity of locating the cover 0 in a predetermined relation to the body to permit the clamping thereof in place. a

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, ,as will be 5 hereinafter more specifically described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which: Y

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a pressure cooker, showing one of our improved clamps associated therewith, parts of the view being shown broken away and in. section to illustrate structural details;

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, illustrating the manner in which the clamp engages the flanges of the cover and body of the cooker; and,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of a pressure cooker, illustrating one of our clamps 30 associated therewith, the clamp being shown in full lines in its operative clamping position and in dotted lines in its inoperative non-clamping position.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein 5 similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A generally indicates a pressure. cooker. Only a sufficient part of the cooker has been shown to illustrate the use of our improved on means C for clamping the cover 5 thereof on the body 6. I

As clearly shown in the drawing, the upper edge of the body 6 is provided with an outstanding annular relatively heavy flange 7. In accordance with our invention, the lower face of the flange 7 is provided with an annular groove or depression 8, for a purpose, which will behereinafter more fully set forth. The cover 5 is provided with an outstanding annular flange 9 which is adapted to rest above the flange 7 when the cover is in position on the body 6. As shown, the lower edge of the cover flts within the body and that portion of the cover directly below the flange 9 is provided with a bevelled or inclined seat 10 for snugly engaging the inner face of the body to form a fluid-ti ht closure therewith. The upper face of the flange 9 at predetermined spaced points is provided with recesses 11, the purpose of which will also be later set forth.

Our improved clamping means C for retaining the cover 5 in position on the body 6 consists of a plurality of equally distantly spaced U-shaped clamping members 15, embodying upper and lower legs 16 and 17 and a connecting vertically disposed arm 18. The upper leg 16 is provided with a laterally extending pivot ear 19, which is rotatably mounted on the smooth portion of a fastening bolt or pivot 20. The bolt 20 has its lower end threaded into the flange 9 in spaced relation to the recess 11, so that when the clamp is swung over the flanges '7 and 9, the upper leg 16 will lie directly above the said recess.

In order to prevent accidental swinging movement of the clamp. a' coil spring 21 is placed about the bolt 20 and engages the upper face of the flange 9 and the lower face of the pivot car 19. This holds the pivot ear 19 in frictional contact with the head of the bolt 20 and consequently prevents undue swinging movement of the clamping member.

The upper arm 16 of the clamping member has threaded therethrough, a winged clamping screw 22. which is adapted to be threaded into engagement with the flange 9 when the clamp is in its operative position. The extreme lower end of the clamping screw 22 fits within the recess 11 and prevents acidental .displacement of the clamp. Likewise, the upper face of the lower leg 1'7 of the clamp is provided with a raised knob or tip 23 for reception within the annular groove 8 formed in the flange '1. The provision of the groove 8 and the recess 11 acts as means for permitting the efficient holding of the cover in place and preventing the displacement of the clamps.

Obviously, when the clamps "are swung over, the flanges 7 and 9 and the winged screws 22 are threaded down into tight contact with the flange 9, the cover will be forced down into the body so as to bring about a tight and intimate contact between the inclined face 10 of the cover and the inner wall of the body.

When it is desired to remove the cover, it is merely necessary to loosen the screws 22 and swing the clamps on their pivots 20 to one side of the flan es.

In view of the fact that the groove 8 is formed entirely around the flange '7, it is not necessary to place the cover in a predetermined position on the body, as the knobs 23 of the clamps will en-' gage in this groove irrespective of the position in which the cover is placed on the body.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that we have provided a novel and efficient means for clamping the cover of a pressure cooker on its body.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of our invention, but what we claim as new is:

1. In a vessel including a body having an outstanding flange and a cover therefor provided with a similar flange, a clamp for uniting the cover to the body having a U-shaped body portion including upper and lower legs, an adjustable clamping screw carried by the upper leg for engagement with the flange of the cover, a laterally extending pivot ear formed on the inner end of the upper leg, a headed pivot bolt extending through the pivot ear and carried by the flange of the cover and an expansion spring coiled about said pivot bolt and interposed between the pivot ear and the flange of the cover for normally urging the pivot ear in frictional contact with the head of the pivot bolt.

2. In a vessel including a body having an outstanding flange and a removable cover for the body having a similar flange, the flange of the body being'provided with an annular groove in its lower face, the flange of the cover being provided with a recess, a clamp for connecting the flanges together including a U-shaped body portion having upper and lower legs, an adjustable clamping screw carried by the inner end of the upper leg for engagingin said recess, a laterally extending pivot ear formed on the inner end of the upper leg, a pivot bolt extending through the ear and carried by the flange of the cover and located at one side of the recess, and a knob formed on the inner end of the lower leg for engaging in said groove.

GUY E. WM. ECK. ALVIN F. LOEFFLER. 

